Witnessing the Human Impact of Digital Therapeutics

As a part of my work at Magic Leap, there are constant opportunities to see new and meaningful applications of augmented reality across a range of use cases and industries that are always expanding. During a collaborative video shoot to tell the story of one of these applications focused on innovative Parkinson’s physical therapy, I came to better understand the true potential impact of augmented reality (AR) on people’s lives.

The team and work happening at Strolll are deeply human-centric, dedicated to enabling new physical therapy methods that better the lives of those diagnosed with Parkinson’s. By taking effective techniques and adapting them to a new interactive AR medium, patients have greater mobility and flexibility around when, where, and how they integrate physical therapy sessions into their lives. This makes for more engaging and enjoyable therapy experiences, and greatly reduces time traveling to and spent at hospitals and clinics. With most individuals diagnosed with Parkinson’s already experiencing aspects of restricted mobility, this time and effort can drain an individual’s energy to a point where they are fatigued before a physical therapy session even begins. Allowing patients to encounter less of these impediments and interruptions in their daily routines, and have greater control over this aspect of their therapy, can make a significant difference when routine tasks are already made more difficult due to Parkinson’s. Being able to engage with physical therapy activities in the comfort of their own home can significantly improve morale and mental wellbeing of those going through these therapies.

Strolll decided to utilize Magic Leap optical see-through technology in the form of the Magic Leap 2 AR device for deployment of their app due to the device’s ergonomic form factor, large FOV and AR content clarity. These aspects of the device enable physical therapy sessions with extended-use comfort and crucial world-awareness for patients with Parkinson’s, which is incredibly important for those who often rely on the aid of assistive walking devices due to mobility and stability difficulties. For these individuals, feeling connected and grounded in their physical environment whenever possible is an important aspect of navigating daily life.

With the wide FOV and content clarity of Magic Leap 2, Strolll is not limited in where they can place digital content in a patient’s environment, allowing for the creation of experiences that maximize range of motion and adapt to the needs and progress of a patient. No longer are these therapies limited to the length of a hallway or size of a room for certain mobility activities; patients can now participate in a physical therapy session wherever they want, completing and modifying activities based on their needs, only being limited by their own energy and determination.

Having a hardware device that patients can put on, still be fully connected to their physical environment, be hands-free, and not need to worry about discomfort creates a new kind of engaging experience that doesn’t get in the way of the task at hand, allowing users to focus on what is most important: maximizing the positive effects of their physical therapy.

Upon arrival at an NHS hospital in Leeds, England for his first time using Magic Leap 2 and the Strolll app, Steve Ryan was reliant on a walker for stability and to support a significant amount of his body weight. He had a very short and low stride; his movement was more of a shuffle than a walk. Learning that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s over 18 years ago, and after talking with both NHS and Strolll physical therapists that were present, I came to understand that Steve’s symptoms were on the more progressed end of the spectrum. With the help of his physical therapist, he was able to put on the Magic Leap 2 device and start his therapy session within minutes, without familiarity of the app or having ever worn one of the devices before.

Even in the first moments of the day, this effortless adoption of these new methods made the truly exciting potential of Magic Leap AR technology and the Strolll app for those with Parkinson’s immediately apparent. It was also clear that Steve saw the promising possibilities for his physical therapy moving forward.

Within a matter of a couple of hours during this session wearing the Magic Leap 2 device, Steve was able to walk across the room with drastically increased stride length and height, without his walker, and being almost completely un-aided for support. Despite the need for occasional breaks, he wanted to go through the activity on the Strolll app repeatedly. An increased confidence in his mobility was on full-display, and I frequently heard him say “again” with an eager determination to continue his progress.

It was truly remarkable to stand in the room that day and see this advancement in real-time, and for his wife Sue to tell me that Steve had not walked with that degree of un-aided movement in over 8 years. Upon completing his session, all the conversation in the room immediately shifted to the excitement about taking this technology home to continue Steve’s physical therapy, and the difference that kind of accessibility would make in integrating these new methods into their daily lives.

Regardless of the effects that Parkinson’s has had on their lives, every moment with Sue and Steve was filled with resiliency, optimism and determination in exploring new physical therapy methods and techniques that would allow Steve to make the most of life. For them, this session showed a reality that they didn’t think was possible.

What I personally observed that day, and hearing Sue’s emotional thanks to everyone involved in developing this technology, was a powerful reminder of the incredible work that the teams at Magic Leap and Strolll undertake to continue to advance the beneficial impact that AR can make in people’s lives.

This experience was particularly impactful in better understanding the direct positive effect of utilizing Magic Leap technology, and the technology from teams like Strolll, on both societal and human levels. This is significant innovation happening today with tangible results that will continue at an accelerating pace. When thinking about the implementation of this technology, and ongoing advancements in optics capabilities and AI integration, I’m incredibly excited about the work happening at Magic Leap and to see the experiences that will continue to be enabled.

Watch Steve's Story